Storage racks



March 29, 1960 L. H. BEST ETAL 2,930,488

STORAGE RACKS FiledNov. 27, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventors Leon 'l'. Best' John F. Bu ckn er' A-l-kornegs March 29, 1960 L. H. BEST ET Ax.

STORAGE RACKS 2 Sheets-Sheeil 2 Filed Nov. 27, 1956 e hun wak EN m? InF n Lb .w

Zi/aZ/a. and @www-vv A-Hzornegs United States Patent O STORAGE RAcKs Leon H. Best and John F. Buckner, Galva, Ill., assignors to .lohn H. Best & Sous, Inc., Galva, lll., a corporation of Illinois Application November 27, 1956, Serial No. 624,561

7 Claims. (Cl. 211-147) This invention relates to storage racks, and in particular to storage racks of the kind used to store relatively heavy and cumbersome articles such as broadloom carpet rolls and the like.

Vendors of carpeting, linoleum and like roll material in numerous instances are confronted with particularly troublesome problems of storage inasmuch as such roll material in most instances is heavy and occupies considerable space. This problem is of particular significance where it is important that a large inventory be kept on hand, since it is advantageous in most instances that the rolls be stored above iloor level in readily accessible positions; and due to the weight of such materials it is of further advantage that the particular storage facility be flexible in respect of permitting easy Withdrawal of a roll from storage as Well as expansibility in regard to additions or substitutions.

In view of the foregoing, the primary object of the present invention is to enable carpeting and the like to be stored for ready accessibility and easy handling, and to do this by means of a particular storage rack embodying uprights and supports on the uprights on which carpeting, linoleum or like material can be disposed.

It has heretofore been proposed to afford astorage rack including uprights of the foregoing kind including supports that are adjustable to selected vertical positions on the uprights. It Will be appreciated that carpeting and the like is usually quite heavy, and with this factor in mind the supports have included sleeves or the like formed with openings adapted to register with corresponding openings in the support and through which bolt means, a key or the like is adapted to be passed to hold the supports in selected vertical positions on the uprights. However, in repositioning a support of this nature, considerable diiculty is encountered, especially when the supports are heavily loaded with carpeting or the like, and moreover it is a time-consuming and tedious task to remove a bolt, key or the like, shift the support and then reenter the bolt or key. Under the present invention, these objections are overcome by means of a novel clamp to be described hereinafter and such constitutes a further object of the present invention. Specifically in this regard, it is an object of the present invention to enable a slidable support on an upright in a storage rack for carpeting or the like to be held in a selected position on the upright by means of a clamp embodying at least one member pivotally connected to the support in such a way that by rocking such clamp member inwardly toward the upright in a forced manner an edge portion of the clamp member is forcefully engaged with the upright and at the same time the means that are used to bring about such rocking action laccount for an additional friction contact between the clamp and the upright. This particular clamping action applies clamping forces in one direction, and preferably a secondary clamping action is attained against the upright in a direction normal to the firstnamed direction in a manner to be described hereinafter.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which,

by way of illustration, show a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the principle thereof and whatY 5 We now consider to be the best mode in which we have parting from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a rack representing one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view on an enlarged scale showing details of the clamping structure of the present invention with certain parts sectioned and other parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2 and showing more or less diagrammatically the condition prevailing at the time the clamp has been rocked to clamping position;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional View through one of the uprights and showing fragments of onev of the supports;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of Fig. 5.

One embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Fig. l inthe form vof a storagerrack 10 adapted to support a plurality of broadloom carpet rolls R. The rack at 10 embodies a pair of spaced apart uprights 12 which as shown particularly in Figs. 2 and 5 are in the form of square steel tubes. Uprights of such construction afford sharp corners and at faces of relatively large area Which are of importance from a clamping standpoint as will be appreciated from the description to follow. The

upper ends of uprights 12 are tied together by a tubular spacer rod l5, and the lower ends of the uprights 12 are adapted to be stabilized for floor mounting by any convenient base structure as for instance that shown at 16 in Fig. l which will be described below.

In the present instance, the ends of the carpet rolls as R are disposed on supports including pallet boards 20, and the pallet boards 20 in turn are supported on cross arms that are adapted to slide on the uprights as will be described.

Thus, the supporting structure for the carpeting or the like, additionally includes horizontal cross arms that are associated with the uprights in a cruciform arrangement,` and each such cross arm includes a pair of horizontal parallel angles 24 and 25, Figs. l and 2. As shown particularly in Fig. 5 the cross arms 24 and 25 in each instance are disposed on opposite sides of the uprights inv parallel relation soY as to project outwardly in opposite directions relative to the uprights in the manner shown in Fig. l, and the pallet boards 20 are disposed on the outer ends of the cross arms 24 and 25 in each instance.

To this end, the upper faces of the horizontal flanges of the angles 24 and 25 are disposed accurately in a common plane as shown in Fig. 4 to accurately dispose the related pallet boards 2t) in a horizontal plane. The

pallet boards 2i) aresecured to the angles 24 and 25 in any convenient fashion,'and preferably by clamps enabling the pallet boards 2li to be shifted along the upper faces of the angles 24 and 25 to selected positions. One way in which this is accomplished is tov use conventional L-clamps 30, Fig. 4, each having the toe thereof v,engaged lwith the underside of the pallet board and the leg thereof engaged with the underside of the( horizontal boards 20 and through an aligned aperture in the leg of therelated L-Kclamp 30 so thatthe threaded end 31T thereof projects downwardly below the related L-clamp 30. A wing nut 32 is mounted on the threaded end of y each bolt 31 enabling the L-clamp to be tightened or loosened in the usual fashion. A

vThe cross arms that support the pallet boards 20 are slidably mounted on the uprights 12 so as to be capable of movement to a selected position. In accomplishing this, each cross arm assembly including the angles 24 and A25 is provided with clamp structure in the nature of a sleeve slidable on the related upright 12, and these sleeves are complemental to the uprights 1,2, that is, are concentric to the uprights 12 in a telescoping relation. Thus, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 5 each clamp under and in accordance with the present invention embodies a plurality of relatively short vertical angle members arranged in` pairs.v One such pair of clamping members is indicated at 41 and 43 as adapted to embrace opposed corners of the upright 12 and another such pair of clamp ing members is indicated at 42 and 44 as adapted to embrace` the other pair of opposed corners on the upright 12. It will be appreciated thatin those instances where the uprights are of a form other than square the clamp members will be correspondingly complemental to such different shape of upright, but the uprights are preferably square and there is one clamping member for each corner since this arrangement affords an optimum effect. The pairs of clamp members thus afforded are diiferently related to the cross arm supports as will now be described. f v As shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the clamp members 41 and 42 are welded at W to the respective inner faces of the angle supports 24 and 25, and an elongated tie bolt 48 is passed through openings in the vertical flanges of the angle supports 24 and 25, and a nut 46 is afforded for the exposed threaded end of the bolt 48 to enable the angle supports 24 and 25 to be drawn inwardly in one direction relative to opposed sides of the uprights 12 so asy to cause vthe clamp members 41 and 42 to apply a secondary clamping force to the upright 12 which will be applied in a direction parallel to the shank of the bolt 48.

The clamp members 43 and 44 in contrast to the clamp members 41 and 42 are not connected directlyto the angle supportsr24 and 25. Rather, these clamp membersy are arranged for pivotal or rocking movement relative to the uprights 12, and to this end a bushing as 50 is welded as at W1 to the outer face of each of the clamp members 43 and 44, each such face being that which corresponds to the faces of the clamp members 41 and 42 that are parallel to the shank of the bolt 48. An elongated tie bolt 52 is passed through openings in the vertical faces of the angle supports 24 and 25 on the side of the upright 12 opposite the bolt 48 as well as through the bores of the bushings 50, and a nut 54 is provided for the exposed end of the bolt 52 enabling the supports 24 and 25 to be drawn inwardly. It will thus be seen that insofar as the application of secondary clamping forces in directions transverse to the length of the angles 24 and 25 is concerned, the respective pairs of clamp members 41-42 and 43-44 are identical, and the arrangement accounts for uniform clamping forces.

As was mentioned above, carpet, linoleum and like rolls are relatively heavy and dimcult to handle, and the present invention is primarily concerned with these factors. Therefore, in order to enable the supports described above to bear the weight of such roll material and yet to be easily shiftable on the uprights 12 to any selected number of infinite positions, means are afforded under the present invention for establishing a tightprirmary clamping action between th@ Clamp members 43 and 44 and the upright 12, and this primary clamping action is in a direction normal to the clamping action afforded by the bolts 48 and 52. In achieving this desired end, advantage is taken under the present invention of the edge portions of the clamp members 43 and 44 conveniently represented by the terminal upper edges thereof.

The lower end portions of the clamp members 43 and 44 are provided with set screws 58, and these constitute means for forcefully pivoting the clamp members so that the upper edges thereof can be rocked inwardly of the upright 12 from a released position to a clamping position to tightly grip the uprights 12 and hold the supports thereon in a selected position. Thus, as shown in Fig. 3, by turning the set screws 5S inwardly toward the upright 12, the bottoms of the related clamp members 43 and 44 are in effect backed oi`1c causing the upper portions to rock inwardly toward the upright to bring about forced engagement between the Aupper edge portions as 44E of the related clamp members and the corresponding outer face of the upright 12. Further inward turning of the set screw 58 causes such upper edge portions to progressively increase their retaining forces on the upright and at the same time it will be recognized that the tightened vset screws `also establish their own clamping force against the upright 12.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the present invention materially simplifies positioning of the above described supports relative to the uprights 12 since, in positioning a support, it is merely necessary to slightly loosen the nuts 46 and 54 and then to loosen the set screws 58 in effect opening the clamps each to a released position. Then, after the support has been repositioned the nuts 46 and 54 are tightened and the set screws 58 are tightened to apply the desired extremely advantageous clampinggforces.'

Any convenient mode of base support can be used for the rack, but we prefer the arrangement shown at 16 in Fig. 1. Thus, the lower ends of the uprights 12 are fastened to elongated angle plates AP which tie and space the uprights. Transverse channel bars CB are affixed to the ends of the angles AP, and these serve to* support lowermost pallets 20. End plates EP serving as axle supports areY secured to the ends of the channel bars CBvand the axles of wheels FW and mounted therein. To enable the rack to be easily moved and navigate'd, the aile supports for wheels SW are steerably connected to a pivot between the angle plates A P, and a tongue T is pivotally connected to the axle supports for the wheels SW.

Hence while we have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of our invention it is to be understood that this is capable of variation and modification, and we therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following-claims.

We claim: p

l. In a storage or like rack of the kind described for supporting articles, an upright having opposite sides, a support for Vsuch articlesincluding a cross arm slidable to selected positions on said upright, a clamp carried by said cross arm and including members for complementally engaging the sides of said upright, one of said members intermediate the ends thereof being pivotally mounted on the cross arm adjacent said upright, said one member adjacent one end thereof having an edge portion adapted to clampingly engage said upright, and said one member adjacent the other end thereof including adjustable means adapted to be forced into engagement with said upright to pivot said one member and cause said edge portion to clampingly engage said upright as aforesaid with a forceI applied in one direction inwardly againstl .Said upright, and the other of said members being rigidly mounted,

2. In a storage or like rack of the kind described for supporting articles, an upright having opposed sides, a support for such articles including a cross arm slidable to selected positions on said upright, a clamp carried by said cross arm and including spaced members carried by said cross arm for complementally engaging opposite sides of said upright, one such member intermediate the ends thereof being pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis on said cross arm adjacent said upright and the other of such members being rigidly mounted on the cross arm, said one member adjacent one end thereof having an edge portion adapted to clampingly engage said upright, said one member adjacent the other end thereof including means adapted to be forced into engagement with said upright to pivot said one member about its horizontal axis to cause said edge portion to clampingly engage said upright as aforesaid with a force applied in one horizontal direction inwardly against said upright, and means for applying a clamping force between at least one of said members and said upright in a second horizontal direction inwardly against said upright.

3. In a storage or like rack of the kind described for supporting articles, an upright having corners and sides, a support for such articles including a cross arm slidable to selected positions on said upright, a clamp mounted on said cross arm and including spaced members carried by said cross arm for complementally engaging sides of said upright adjacent said corners of said upright, at least one such member intermediate the ends thereof being pivotally mounted on said cross arm, and the other such member being rigidly mounted on the cross arm, said one member adjacent one end thereof having an edge portion adapted to clampingly engage said upright, said one member adjacent the other end thereof including adjustable means adapted to be forced into engagement with said upright to pivot said one member and cause said edge portion thereof to clampingly engage said upright as aforesaid with a force applied in one direction inwardly against said upright, and means for applying a clamping force between said members and said upright in a second direction inwardly against said corners of said upright.

4. ln a storage or like rack of the kind described for supporting articles, an upright having four corners and having sides, a support for such articles including a cross arm slidable to selected positions on said upright, a clamp for said cross arm including four spaced members carried by said cross arm for complementally engaging said upright at the sides adjacent the corners thereof, certain of said members intermediate the ends thereof being pivotally mounted on said cross arm and the remainder of said members being rigidly mounted on the cross arm, each of said certain members adjacent one end thereof having an edge portion adapted to clampingly engage said upright, each of said certain members adjacent the other end thereof having an adjustable screw adapted to be forced into engagement with said upright to pivot said certain members and cause said edge portions thereof to clampingly engage said upright as aforesaid with forces applied in one direction inwardly against said upright, and means for applying clamping forces between all of said members and said upright in a second direction inwardly against said upright.

5. In a storage or like rack of the kind described for supporting articles, an upright, a support for such articles including a cross arm slidable to selected positions on said upright, a clamp carried by said cross arm and including a pair of clamping members carried by said cross arm, each of said members being elongated and of substantially identical configuration for complementally embracing opposite sides of said upright, one of said members intermediate the ends thereof being pivotally mounted on said cross arm'and the other of said members being rigidly connected to said cross arm, said one member adjacent one end thereof having an edge portion adapted to clampingly engage said upright on one of said opposite sides thereof, and said one member adjacent the other end thereof including means adapted to be progressively forced into engagement with said upright to pivot said one member and cause said edge portion thereof to clampingly engage said upright as aforesaid with a force applied in one direction inwardly against said upright.

6. An arrangement according to claim 5 wherein said means is a set screw.

7. In a storage or like rack of the kind described for supporting articles, an upright having at least two vertically oriented and parallel corners, a support for such articles including a cross arm slidable to selected positions on said upright, a clamp carried by said cross arm and including a pair ofmembers shaped complementary to said corners and having free end edges for embracing the sides of the corners of said upright, one of said members intermediate the free end edges thereof being pivotally mounted on the cross arm adjacent said upright, said one member having the free edge at one end thereof adapted to clampingly engage one side of said upright, said one member adjacent theother end thereof having an adjustable set screw threadedly mounted therein and which is adapted to be turned into engagement with the same side of said upright to pivot said one member and cause said free edge at said one end thereof to clampingly engage said upright as aforesaid with a force applied in one direction inwardly toward said upright, and the other of said members being fixed.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 431,745 Haven July 8, 1890 938,596 Lee NOV. 2, 1909 1,113,183 Baehn Oct. 13, 1914 1,299,176 Hadler Apr. l, 1919 1,636,185 Goodwin July 19, 1927 2,040,315 Kress .May 12, 1936 2,049,807 Horsley et al. Aug. 4, 1936 2,584,310 Weinberg Feb. 5, 19.12 2,736,526 Forbes Feb. 28, 1956 

